STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. These four areas of study have become crucial for students who want to be part of an innovative, rapidly growing industry with excellent career prospects. Fortunately, many amazing ways to get your kids involved in STEM!
The occupational trends are worth understanding. However, it’s not just about becoming the next tech baron or getting your stock options. It’s about developing our human potential. In short, STEM helps us tackle significant global challenges.
The U.S. Department of Education states that:
If we want a nation where our future leaders, neighbors, and workers can understand and solve some of the complex challenges of today and tomorrow and meet the demands of the dynamic and evolving workforce, building students’ skills, content knowledge, and literacy in STEM fields is essential.
Short-term benefits:
The addition of computer science to the K12 curriculum is a big change, one that business leaders, teachers, parents, and state governors agree is worth pursuing. Read more about the CEOs for Computer Science initiative here.
When it comes to your child’s STEM education, it’s imperative to pursue available resources.
Ask around your school or neighborhood for existing clubs or activities.
2. Books
Many libraries provide digital access to thousands of free technology ebooks (via oreilly.com or similar services) in addition to kid-friendly STEM books in their regular library.
3. Museums
Local museums can also be a fantastic way to supplement STEM learning.
4. Zoos, Nature Centers, Aquariums, and Universities
5. Diversity in STEM
Many new resources have been developed to get the most diverse range of voices in STEM, though women in general only represent about 26% of technologists according to Women Who Code.
Regardless of their major, STEM students usually take courses in fields like biology, chemistry, calculus, statistics, and engineering.
Popular STEM Majors:
Popular STEM Degrees:
Some educators have begun adding Arts to the STEM acronym to form STEAM, which emphasizes connections to visual arts, music, and creativity. For some learners, it can help inspire them to pursue technical fields — and see the beauty of mathematics.
Currently, it’s estimated that there are roughly 700,000 open computing jobs but only 80,000 computer science graduates every year. According to a recent article in Best Colleges, engineering is the most in-demand major in 2022. Citing the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for computer hardware engineers was $119,560 in 2020 and $92,620 for biomedical engineers.
A statement from the National Science and Technology Council:
Americans with a strong foundation in STEM have electrified the Nation, harnessed the power of the atom, put men on the Moon and rovers on Mars, developed the internet, designed computers that fit in your pocket, created imaging machines that reveal the inner workings of the body, and decoded the human genome.
These stunning achievements have transformed the human experience, inspired generations, and fostered the strong public support for STEM education and research.
In the last thirty years, we’ve seen remarkable advancements in technology, which are profoundly impacting how we live and ultimately how we educate our children. Teaching science in high school, of course, is nothing new. So what’s changed?
The T in STEM, Technology, holds the clue. Computation and computer science have touched nearly every aspect of scientific innovation, including agriculture, biochemistry, astrophysics, medicine, and ecology.
When students learn to understand how and why scientific or mathematical ideas apply to a situation, they’re more likely to acquire a deeper understanding of the material. That’s why, whenever possible, today’s teachers try to link scientific discoveries and innovations to their students’ everyday lives.
Check out Tynker and learn more about inspiring the next generation to change the world through code.
Also published here.
Lomit Patel is the Chief Growth Officer of Tynker, with 20 years of experience helping startups grow into successful businesses. Lomit has previously played a critical role in scaling growth at startups, including Roku (IPO), TrustedID (acquired by Equifax), Texture (acquired. by Apple), and IMVU (#2 top-grossing gaming app). Lomit is a public speaker, author, and advisor, with numerous accolades and awards throughout his career, including being recognized as a Mobile Hero by Liftoff. Lomit's book Lean AI is part of Eric Ries' best-selling "The Lean Startup" series.